Nail head capping machine



-Oct. 13, 1931; G. E. DICKSON NAIL HEAD CAPPING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 28. 1928 Til I l-llll W Z v {Tuffdn 01' George ED idwmL/ Oct. 13, 1931. G. E. DICKSON NAIL HEAD CAPPING' MACHINE Filed Dec. 28. 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 ITnfeflEr 6 01198 E- D Lc7is0m EB; v V

Oct. 13, 1931. G. E. DICKSON 1,827,566

NAIL HEAD GAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 ITufTdBr 4 742 GemyeE-Qichs on WWW Oct. 13, 1931. a. E. DICKSON NAIL HEAD CAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28. 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Gem 6 E-QDJdis OTL Oct. 13, 1931;

G. E. DICKSON NAIL HEAD cur-1m ucumn Filed Dec. 28. 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 George K121615011 qjwW/Wfi 0a, 13, 1931. G, E'DMSON 1,827,566

NAIL HEAD CAPPING IACHINE' Filed Dec. 28, 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 rum mummrm .m Y ///I Inxffiw Georgg 11, champ Oct. 13, 1931. G. E. DICKSON 1,827,566

NAIL HEAD CAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28. 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Infant); Geotge E -,D 107i5 on w/wmw Oct. 13, 1-931. G. E; DICKSON 1,827,566

7 NAIL HEAD CAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28. 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 WWII"! 1 1 02 m2 99 x25 it 1925 0 I1fTLT6T George B 07% 07b Oct. 13, 1931. G. E. DICKSON 1,827,566

NAIL HEAD CAPPING mamas Filed Dec. 28, 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Em; E@ 41 WWI/Ill; $11; an 5 m1 w" f 5 ,/7 (H) 5% ///a 24 2 E ,/Z, M iTi 75 1 29 I 260! 2 IF 2/ c /4Z\ ll 9 Z5 Z0 2 .20

Gauge/E QldifiU/L Patented Oct 13,1931

UNITED. STATES GEORGE E. DIGKSON, OF EVANBTON, ILLINOIS NAIL HEAD GAPPING 'Applicationflled December as, 1928. Serial Io. 328,874.

This invention relates to improvements in nail head capping machines and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended 5 claims. 4 The primary object of the invention is to provide an automatic machine for applying a cap of soft metal to the head of a nail to make the same weather-proof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for this purpose which is fast and positive in its operation and insures uniformity in the .finished product.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of this kind whereina pellet like mass of metal softer than that of the nail is compressed about the nail head cold, whereby the amount of such softer metal 'is reduced to a minmum and waste is thereby avoided.

These objects of the invention as well as others, together with the many advantages thereof will more fully appear as I proceed with my specification In the drawings Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a nail head capping machine embodying my invention.

Fig; 2 is a view in side elevation of the same on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the machine on a further enlarged scale as taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the machine as taken on the line 4-4 of F i 3.

ig. 5 is another vertical sectional view through the machine as taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6' is a detail view on an enlarged scale of parts shown in the lower right hand corner of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view through a part of the machine as taken on the line 7--7 of Fig. 4:.

Fig; 8 is another vertical sectional view as taken on the line 88 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal detail sectional view on an enlarged scale as taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a detail view on an enlarged scale view as taken on the line 1414 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of one of the ejector arms employed in my im roved machine and which will be more fully referred to later.

Figs. 16 and 17 are detail vertical sectional views as taken on the lines 1616 and 17 17 respectively of Fig. 11.

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the head end of the nail upon which a soft metal cap is applied by my improved machine.

Fi 19 is a view of a pellet like mass of so metal which is compressed while cold, 7 upon the head of the nail shown in Fig. 18 t0 rovide the cap therefor.

ig. 20 is a vertlcal sectional view through the head end of a nail capped by my improved machine.

In general my improved machine comprises a suitable punch press like frame upon the bed of which there is mounted 'a step by step rotating die carrying plate, the latter being substantially horizontally disposed but pitched or tilted downwardly toward the rear of the machine. In the peripheral marin of said plate is mounted a plurality of ie carriers and dies, so disposed that in the step by step rotation thereof, a nail is fed into a number of such dies point down. When said dies with the nails therein reach the front of the machine, a pellet like mass of softer metal is deposited in each die upon the head of the nail therein and when said dies with the nails and pellets therein reach the rear of the machine, coacting punches descend to compress the pellet upon the head to form the cap. Thereafter as the said dies move away from the punches. in the rotation of the plate, the finished or capped nails are ejected from the dies and are then directed out of the machine into suitable containers step rotating die carrying plate and coacting punches, and associated mechanism for feeding nails and pellets of softer metal to the dies in the desired order, together with means for discharging the capped nails from the machine. In describing the invention in detail, the various mechanisms will be set forth in the order above mentioned.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates the base of the machine and 2 and 3 indicate the upright right and left hand side frame members respectively, mounted thereon in the manner of the-ordinary punch press. Said side frame members have forward extensions 2 and 3' respectively at their bottom ends upon which is fixed a bed plate 4 that is tilted downwardly and rearwardly as best shown in Figs. '1 and 4.

In. the top end of said side frames is journalled a crank shaft 5 and suitably mounted for reciprocation in guides'6 on said frame members is a cross head 7 actuated by a connecting rod 8 operatively engaged with said crank shaft. On that end of the crank shaft extending beyond the right hand frame member is a loose, belt driven pulley 9 adapted to i be operatively connected to and disconnected from said shaft by a suitable clutch '10. This clutch is actuated by a treadle 11 carried by the base and disposed in a manner convenient for the operator whose station is at the front of the machine. On that end of the crank shaft extendin beyond the left hand frame member is fixe a cam 12 and a disc carrying a crank pin 13 the purpose of which will appear later.

The bed plate 4 is substantially rectangu-' lar in plan and rotatively mounted substantially centrally thereof is a circular die carrying plate 14. Fixed in the bed plate is a stub shaft 15 forming the axis about which said plate 14 is rotated and disposed on said shaft above the plate are top and bottom friction discs 16 and 17 respectively, preferably of fiber. On .the top end of'the stub shaft is mounted a pressure disc 18 and nuts 19 by which the friction of the discs 16'and 17 may be adjusted so that the die carrying plate cannot rotate too freely and is held snugly down upon the bed plate. 1

In the periphery of the plate 14 is provided a plurality of arcuately spaced notches 14 and disposed a short distance within said periphery is a plurality of arcuately spaced openings 2020, each radially enlarged at its bottom end to there provide an annular shoulder 20. In each opening 20 is removably disposed a die block 21 which has a radial shoulder 21 at itsbottom end to engage the shoulder 20. 'The' top end of each die block extends a short distance above the carrying plate 14. It is apparent that the die block can only be inserted from the bottom of the carrying plate which rests upon the bed plate. Therefore, at a convenient point in the bed plate, in the die block circle, I rovide an opening 22 through which said bloc s may be inserted into and removed from the carrying plate. Said opening 22 whichis of a diameter slightly larger than the die block is normally closed to that extent preventing said blocks from dropping therethrough by a slide 23 arranged in an undercut groove 23 in the bed plate 4 as best shown in Fig. 17. When it is necessary to remove a particular die block from the plate 14, said plate is turned to bring the block into register with the opening 22 and the slide is pulled out to clear said opening when said block will drop down through said opening. The die block is replaced through said opening and the slide is then pushed inwardly to partially close said opening. The amount of movement of said slide is limited by the screw and slot arrangement 23 best shown in Fig. 11.

In each die block is an axial opening 24 of two different diameters to provide an upwardly facing shoulder 24 in said opening and disposed in said opening is a die 25 with a shoulder 25 to seat against the shoulder 24. the top end of the die which is slightly tapered upwardly and outwardly as at 25 terminates short of the top end of the die block as best shown in Fig. 12. The open- Said die has an axlal opening 25* and f The that of the top part of the die block opening 24 to leave an annular space about the head when the nailis in place in-said die. The nail is of a length greater than that of the die so that the bottom end of the shank depends below the same and to accommodate said depending end of the shank I provide an annular groove 27 in the bed 4.

When the nail is in the die, the top end of the die opening, together with the head of the nail provides a pocket into which a relatively small mass of metal may be deposited to be compressed about the nail head to form the cap. This small mass of metal which is softer than the metal of the nail may be of any convenient shape and I find spherical Fig. 19 are admirably adapted for the pur- In the operation of the machine and during the step by step rotation of the plate 14, nails head so that the die blocks are loaded after which the said dies pass to another point where the pellet or shot is compressed about the nail head to form a cap 29 thereon as shown in Fig. 20, as will soon appear. As illustrated herein, the machine operates upon out of the notch into the next one as is apparent, ready to impart the next movement to said late.

The ie carrying plate is held against undeslred movement in either direction by "pawls 40 and 41 respectively pivoted upon the bed plate 4 at the rear left and right hand corners'thereof as best shown in Fig. 3, each.

pawl havin coacting spring pressed plung- 'ers 40 an 41 respectively to urge them against the periphery of said die carrying P as to correctly position the dies with respect two nails at a time but as is apparent this to coacting mechanism such as for instance number may be increased or decreased without affecting the principle of the invention.

In the step by step rotation of the carrying plate 14 as t e loaded die blocks approach the plane in which the cross head 7 rec-iprocates, they will register with punches 3030 carried thereby and which as the cross head descends will engage the lead pellets and in connection with the die blocks, will compress said pellets about the nail heads to form the cap before mentioned. To reinforce the bed plate to withstand the pressure imposed thereon by said punches, I provide in said bed plate an anvil block 31 as best shown in Figs. 4 and 12 which block has a groove 31.

that registers with the groove 27 in the bed plate.

As before stated the die carrying plate is rotated step by step and means is provided to impart such movement thereto as follows, it being understood of course, that the various operations are carried on in the intervals of rest between such movements and in. the desired timed relations. I

In the top surfaces of the left hand side of the bed late 4 is rovided a forwardly and re'arwar 1y exten ing groove 32 in which reciprocates a slide bar 33 and to the left hand rear corner of the bed plate is fixed an upstanding bracket 34. Pivoted to said bracket is a bell crank lever 35 one arm 35 of which V is connected by a link 36 to the rear end portion of said slide bar. The other arm 35 of said lever has operatively connected thereto the bottom end of an adjustable rod 37 the other end of which is operatively connected to the crank pin 13 before mentioned.

On the slide bar 33 near its front end is pivoted a pawl 38 one end of which is normally urged into engagement with. the

Y periphery of the die carrying plate by a spring pressed plunger 39 mounted on the slide bar as best shown in Fig. 3. The first mentioned end of said pawl is adapted to en gage in one of the notches 14 in the die carrying'plate and as the slide bar 33 moves rearwardly the carrying plate is turned in a clockwise direction through an angle equal to the angle between said notches. As the slide bar moves forwardly said pawl will click the punches 30. The pawl 40 holds the die carrying plate against undesired movement 1n a clockwise direction and the pawl 41 holds the plate against an undesired movement in counter-clockwise direction. Of course to turn the plate clockwise by means of the pawl. 38, the pawl 40 must first be released and this is done by providing a roller 42 on the rear end of the slide bar 33 which in the forward movement thereof engages that end of the pawl that overhangs the slide bar to turn said pawl about'its axis to withdraw its tooth from the associated notch 14 in the die carrying plate.

At the right hand-side of the bed plate at about 1ts mid portion is fixed a bracket 43 that overhangs the adjacent margin of ate. Each pawl carries a tooth which so en-f gages opposite ends of different notches 14' is located a pair of coacting pivoted nail holding members 45 and 46 normally urged toward eachother by springs 47 at the lower end of each casting. Said fingers coact to leldlngly hold anail 26 fed to it as will ater appear, in alignment with but above the d1e block 21 positloned below each casting as best shown in Fig. 5.

Associated with each casting 44 is a plunger rod 48 aligned with each nail between the yielding fingers 45 and 46, said plunger hav ing a. sliding bearing at its bottom endin a A hearing sleeve 49 at the top of the casting and both rods are connected together at their top ends by a cross member 50. Said cross member is in turn carried by the bottom end of a member 51 the other end of which is operatively engaged in a sleeve 52 on the outer end of an upwardly and laterally inclined arm 53 carried by the cross head 7. Thus in the downward movement of the cross head 7, the plunger rods 48 each descend and engage the head of the nail which is pushed downwardly and out from between the coing 26 in the proper dies Within the associated die block. i

The nails are fed to and between the yielding fingers -46 by means of tubes 54, one associated with each casting 44. The bottom end of each tube is secured in an extension of said casting and the top end of each tube is fixed to a -spout associated with means 56 for delivering nails to the tube, point down. In said means is provided a chute 57 to which nails are delivered in a row to hang pendant therefrom, by a rocking hopper 58, pivoted at one end as at 59 to said chute. The other end of said hopper is supported upon the top end of a connecting rod 60 the bottom end of which is connected to a crank pin 61 on a rotating disc 62. The means 56 is supported upon a suitable frame work 63 andasso'ciated with said means is a picker mechanism 64 actuated from the crank shaft 5 to remove the bottommost nail from the chute so that it will drop into the spout, down the tube and into position between the yielding fingers 45 and 46. i

At the front of the bed plate 4 is secured a forwardly and substantially horizontal supporting bracket 65. In said bracket is formed a longitudinal slot 66 in which an" elongated block 67 has a sliding guided movement. Fixed to the bottom of said block so as to be located below the bracket is a roller 68 behind which is engaged the short arm 69 of a lever 70 pivoted as at 71 to the bracket 65. The long arm of said'lever is connected by a link 7 2 to the forward end of the slide bar 33 as. best shown in Fig. 3.

The forward end of the slide 66 carries a block 7 3 with a cross pin 7 4 therein to which the same ends of a pair of springs 75 are connected, the other ends of said springs beln connected to upright pins 7 6-7 6 on the bracket 65.

It is apparent that the slide bar 66 is moved in the bracket'65 away from the bed 2 plate by the lever 70 and is moved toward said bed plate by the springs 7 5.

To the top surface of the block 65 is sehaving a wider head 78 at one end which normally overhangs the die carrying plate 14 and in said head is a pair of openings 79 spaced a distance apart equal to the-distance between adjacent'die blocks. The openings in said head are of a diameter sufficient to freely receive a pellet 28 and said head normally engages on a plate 80 fixed on the inner or rear end of the bracket 65. Said plate has openings 81 in that end overhanging the die carrying plate which openings register .with the openings in the die blocks. When the bar 77 is in its normally inward position, the openings 79 and 81-register so that such pellets as may be in said openings fall therefrom and through the openings 81 into the nails therein.

82 indicates an L shaped block having a horizontally disposed base 83 which is'fixed to the inner end of the bracket 65. Said base is cut away as at 82 to straddle the head 78- and at the same time provide lateral guides for said head. Secured to opposite sides of the block are substantially, vertically disposed standards 84+84 the top ends of which are bent laterally and are secured to the bottom wall 85 of a hopper 86 adapted to contain a supply of pellets28. Extending between the bottom of said hopper and said block is a pair of pellet tubes 8787, the front bottom ends of which are cut away as at 87 in line with slots 82"82 in the block 82 whereby the contents of the tube are visible. 8888 indicate agitator tubes mounted on the to ends of the tubes 87 for reciprocation. aid tubes have sight openings 88 at the front thereof which line up with similar openings 87 in the tubes 87 so that the contents of the top ends of the tubes 87 are visible. The tubes 8888 are secured together at longitudinally spaced points by top and bottom clamping blocks 89 and 90 respectively. An arm 91 fixed to the cross manner as to engage the underside of the clamping block 89 so that in the upward movement of the cross head, alike movement is imparted to the clamping block 89 and tubes 88. In the upward movement of said tubes, the force their way through the supply of pel ets and agitate them so that some of said pellets are certain to enter the tubes 88 and thus be guided into the tubes 87. In the downward movementof the cross head 7 and arm 91 the tubes 88 descend by gravity and should they stick to the tubes 87 the arm 91 will engage the clamping block 90 and force the tubes 88 downwardly.

When the bar 77 is in its outermost position upon the bracket 65, the openings 79 in the head thereof will register with the bottom ends of the tubes 87- with the result Outed a substantially T shaped fiat bar 1 that a pellet 28 is delivered into each of said openings 79 and when said plate moves rearwardly to its innermost position the said pellets are carried therewlth to enter and pass through the openings 81 in the plate 80 to be delivered into the die blocks there beneath and on top of the head of each nail may be either in the form of a stop ing of the machine or the sounding of an afarm or other indicator. However, as the detecter mechanism forms no specific part of the present invention it will be only generally described.

On the front end part of the bed plate 4 between the bracket 65 and groove 32 is a block of insulation 92 (see Fig. 3) having spaced contacts 93 thereon. On the arm 91 before mentioned is a bracket 94 from which an arm 95 depends. The bottom end of said arm has pivoted thereto a pair of contact fingers 96- at the outer ends of which are adjustable contact points in the form of screws 97 adapted to register and engage with the contacts 93 under certain conditions; Also carried on each finger 96 is an adjustable stud in the form of a screw 98. These studs are spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between adjacent die blocks and as the cross head 7 descends the fingers 96 to-' gether with the screws 97 and 98 will descend with it.

So long as there are nails and pellets in the die blocks the screws 98 will engage upon the pellets in said blocks in the descent of the cross head and will hold the screws 97 out of contact with the contacts 93. However, should a nail or pellet be absent or should the pellet or nail head be undersize, the support normally afforded either screw 98 will be absent in the descent of the cross head with the result that corresponding screw 97 10 by stepping on the treadle 11. After matters have been adjusted again by manually supplying the absent nail or pellet, themachine is again started into operation.

After the punch 30 has descended to compress the pellet about a nail head to form the cap thereon, the die holdin plate is given another impulse movement an the die blocks with the capped nails therein move into line with means for removing the capped nails from said dies and such means are as follows: In the bed plate 4 on the die block circle and one step or impulse of movement removed from the plane of the punches 30 is located a pair of reciprocating plungers 9999 best shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The bottom ends of said pair of plun ers are fixed to a cross bar 100 carrying a har ened button or stud 101 disposedbetween said plungers. Said plungers have guided bearing in a block 102 fixed to the under side of the bed plate and extend up through suitable openings 99' in the bed plate. Springs 103 surround the bottom end portions of the plungers between the cross bar 100 and block 102 and normall urge the plungers downwardly.

To impart an upward movement to said plungers there is provided a rock shaft 104 ournalled at its ends in the side arm extensions 2 and 3 of the frame below the rear side of the bed plate. Fixed to this shaft is a forwardly extending arm 105 which in the operation of the shaft engages the cross bar button 101 to impart the upward movement to said plungers against the action of said springs 103.

On that end of the rock shaft extending beyond the frame member 3, is fixed a rearwardly extending arm 106 as best shown in Fig. 2. The bottom end of a connecting rod 107 is pivoted to said arm while the top end of said rod is pivoted to an arm 1'08 mounted on a stub shaft 109 carried by the side frame member 3. Said arm also carries a roller 110 disposed in the plane of and adapted to be engaged by the cam 12 on the crank shaft 5. Thus in the rotation of the crank shaft, the cam 12 will engage the roller 110 and through the connecting rod 107 will impart a down ward movement to the arm 106 and an upward movement to the arm 105.

As the plunger rods 99 are moved upwardly their top ends will engage the bottom ends of the nails and will push them upwardly so that the caps thereon project a suitable distance above the die blocks. This upward push or movement to the capped nails is imparted in timed relation with the cross head 7 and occurs as said cross head is moving downwardly.

On the bottom surface of the cross head 7, to the right hand side of the plungers 30, is secured a plate 111, which carries two sets of laterally spaced pairs of depending spring fingers 112-112, the top ends of each pair of fingers being secured to opposite sides of as sociated blocks 113 fixed to said plate. The bottom ends of the fingers of each pair are bent inwardly and upwardly toward each other and are then bent outwardly again as at 114 in Fig. 13.

In the descentof the cross head, each pair of fingers will engage the cap on the nail and will spread or open laterally so as to engage under opposite sides of the cap as best shown in dotted lines in Fig. 13, this gripping upon the cap occurring at that time in which theplungers 99 are at substantially the top of their movement. As the plungers descend and. the spring fingers ascend, they will withdraw the capped nails from the die blocks. The next operation is to eject the nails from between the fingers of each pair and this is provided for by means now to be described.

115 indicates a block fixed to the under side of the plate 111 midway between the blocks 113 carrying the spring fingers 112. Pivoted on each side of said block 115 is a lever 116 each of which includes a relatively long arm 117 and a downwardly and laterally offset shorter arm 118. The long arms of both levers normally extend downwardly and forwardly into the vicinity of the inner end of the bracket 43 where they are connected together by a bolt 119 as in Fig. 4 and are disposed beneath a roller 120 on the inner end of said bracket. Springs 121 connect said arms to an extension lug 122 (see Fig. 5) on the cross head 7 and normally act toswing said arms upwardly.

The shorter arms 118 are offset laterally to that extent' which will position them in planes disposed between fingers 112 of each pair of fingers and in theupward movement of the cross head by reason of the engagement of the long arms with the roller 120, the ends of the shorter arms will engage the cap on the nail held by the associated pair of spring fingers and will e1 ect the same therefrom. This ejection of the nail takes place'as the cross head approaches its limit of upward movement when the ejected nail willfall upon an inclined chute 123 provided therefor between the side frame members 2 and '3 respectively to be delivered into a suitable container provided therefor. 1

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that only a pair ofnails is operated upon in successive steps to form the caps thereonbut as isapparent this number may be increased or decreased without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is alsoapparent that for each step or movement of the die carrying plate, a pair of nails is delivered to two die blocks at one point, the pellets supplied thereto at another point, the pellets are compressed upon the nail heads at a third point, and the ca ped nail is ejected at a fourth point, all 0 these operations being carried on in succession so thatthe maf chine is continuous in its operation.

The machine is automatic in operation and only requires a suflicient supply of nails and pellets to keep it running, and, should either give out, the operator is at once notified as to that condition.

The capped nails produced by my improved machine are far superior to the cast capped nails because less. lead is used for each cap, and the caps are more uniform in size and will not become loose on the nail heads either before or after the nails have been driven. Again by compressing the caps in the nail heads, the metal of-the ca is rendered more dense which makes them hetter able to withstand hammering without splitting.

While in describing my invention I have referred in detail to the form, construction and arrangement of the various parts thereof, I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. In a nail head capping machine, a die adapted to receive and hold a nail during the capping thereof and which nail projects through the bottom of said die,a member ennail for imparting an initial upward movement to the capped nail in removing it from the die, and other reciprocating means including yielding fingers for grasping the cap and imparting the final upward movement to the nail for removing it fromthe die.

3. In a nail head capping machine, a die adapted to receive and hold a nail during the capping thereof, and whichv nail pro ects through the bottom of the die, a member engaging the bottom end of the said nail for imparting an initial-upward step in removing the nail from the die, means for grasping the capped end of the nail for impartin the final upward step inremoving the nail rom the die and means for ejecting the nail from the grasping means.

4. In a nail capping machine in combination with a' die member containing a capped nail therein, a reciprocating plunger adapted to engage the bottom of the nail to partially lift the nail from the die and reciprocating means adapted to grasp the cap of the nail to complete theremoval of the nail therefrom.

5.. In a nail capping machine in combina tion with a, die member containing a capped nail therein, a reciprocating plunger adapted to engage the bottom of the nail to fpartially lift the nail from the die, reciprocating means including yielding spring fingers adapted to grasp the cap of the nail to complete the removal of the nail therefrom an'd-means for ejecting the nail from said spring fingers.-

6. In a nail head capping-machine in combination with a die member containing a capped nail therein, a plunger spaced from one end of the die member andadapted to engage the bottom end of the nail to partially lift the nail from the die-member, and means spaced from the other end of the die member and including a pair of yielding spring fingers movable toward and away from the other end of the die member to grasp the cap of the nail to withdraw said nail from the die member.

7. A nail head capping machine embodying therein a support, a step by step movable die member adapted to contain a headed nail and cap material, a cross head reciprocableon said support toward and away from the die member, a punch carried by said crossvhead' to coact with the die member to compress said material about the nail head to form a cap thereon, means carried by the support to partially lift the capped nail from the die member and means also carried by the cross head for grasping the cap of the partially lifted nail to remove the nail from the die member.

8. A nail head capping machine embodying therein a support, a step by step movable die member adapted to contain a headed nail and cap material, a cross head reciprocable on said support toward and away from the die member, a punch carried by said cross head to coact with the die member to compress said material about the nail head to form a cap thereon means carried by the support to partially lift the capped nail from the die member and, a pair of yielding fingers carried by the cross head to grasp the cap of the partially lifted nail to remove the nail from the die member.

9. A nail head capping machine embodying therein a support, a step by step movable die member adapted to contain a headed nail and cap material, a cross head reciprocable on said support toward and away from the die member, a punch carried by said cross head to coact with the die member to compress said material about the nail head to form a cap thereon, means carried by the support for to coact with the die member to compress said material about the nail head to form a cap thereon, means carried by the support for partially lifting the capped nail from the die member, yielding fingers also carried by the cross head for grasping the cap of the partially lifted nail to remove it from the die member and means also carried bythe cross head and adapted to extend in between said fingers to engage and eject the capped nail therefrom.

11. A nail capping machine embodying therein a support, a step by step rotary plate thereon having a plurality of openings therein, there being an opening in said support with which the openings in the plate are adapted to register, a die member for each opening in said plate and adapted to be inserted into and withdrawn therefrom, through said opening in said support'and to engage at one end upon said support, and

means for closing said opening to that extentpreventing the withdrawal of said die member therethrough.

12. A nail capping machine embodying therein a support, a step by step rotary plate thereon having a plurality of openings therein, there being an opening in said support with which the openings in the plate are adapted to register, a die member for each opening in said plate and adapted to be inserted into and withdrawn therefrom, through said opening in said support and to engage at one end upon said support, and a plate slidable in the top surface of said support and adapted when in one limit of its movement to extend at least partway across the opening in said support.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 19th day of December, 1928.

GEORGE E. DICKSON. 

